Counseling Parker: How to Handle Anxiety

Dealing with anxiety is never easy, but you can seek counseling and help from the professionals at Counseling Services of Parker. We are here to help you talk through your anxiety and practice healthy methods of coping when you feel anxious or stressed.

Handling Your Anxiety

To deal with your anxiety, there are several steps you can take. Here are a few suggestions to keep yourself feeling balanced and calm:

Take a timeout: No matter if you prefer to do yoga, listen to calming music, meditate, or whatever other relaxation technique speaks to you, you can use these methods to take a break from your thoughts.
Watch your eating habits: It’s important to keep your body fueled. Keep healthy snacks on hand whenever you get hungry, and always do your best to avoid skipping meals.
Limit your alcohol and caffeine consumption: These substances can actually worsen your anxiety and cause panic attacks. Choose water instead when possible.
Get enough sleep: It’s common for people to neglect their sleep, but getting eight hours of rest a night will keep you feeling energized and alert.
Exercise each day: When you take the time to get out and get your blood pumping, it can actually help you keep your mood elevated.
Breathe deeply: When you feel any stress, breathe in and out slowly to help calm your body. This can slow your heart rate and help your anxiety.
Count to 10: Slowly counting to 10, or even 20, can keep you feeling in the present and grounded.

The Healthy Perspective

These tips can help you lessen the anxious feelings you may be having, but there are more long-term solutions that can help you accept the things you cannot change. Keep in mind that perfection is not attainable, and your stress will not make that change. Focus on being proud of doing your best in each situation, no matter how close or far you are from perfection. Accepting that you cannot control everything in life can help you stay in a healthy mindset – know what you can control, and let the rest go. You can also work to replace any negative thoughts you may be having with positive ones. Instead of thinking about what you don’t like about yourself, change your thoughts to think about what you do enjoy about yourself.

Discovering the Cause

In order to truly tackle your anxiety and give you the relief you deserve, it may be time to figure out what is causing your anxiety. Reach for a journal and document your thoughts whenever you are feeling anxious. It could be the future, it could be work, school, your family, your relationship – whatever is causing your anxiety, you may be able to pinpoint it with some self-reflection. Also, talking to someone can help you realize what is causing your anxiety or even your panic attacks.

Counseling Services of Parker

For those of you who are looking for a counseling professional in Parker, we hope you turn to Counseling Services of Parker. We are here to help you work through your anxiety, as well as identify what may be leading to it in the first place. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.